Pakistan squad arrive in UAE for Asia Cup and tri-series

Salman Agha leads restructured squad in Dubai, aiming to bounce back after recent setback

Last updated: August 20, 2025 | 14:10

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Pakistan clinched the three-match Twenty20 2-1 against West Indies at Lauderhill in US.

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Dubai: With former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan sidelined and a major contract overhaul, Pakistan’s T20 squad has begun arriving in Dubai ahead of the Tri-Nation series and Asia Cup. Led by Salman Agha, the team members are assembling on Wednesday and start preparations at the ICC Academy on Thursday.

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The tri-series against Afghanistan and hosts UAE starts on August 29 at Sharjah Stadium, with the final on September 7. Pakistan will open their Asia Cup Group A campaign against Oman on September 12 in Dubai, before facing India on September 14.

Squad shake-up and contracts

Azam and Rizwan have been left out of the T20 squads despite their past success. Head coach Mike Hesson said: “We know what a fine player Babar is. He is working on taking on spin and improving his strike rate. The players we have are performing well and having a positive impact.”

In a sweeping change, the Pakistan Cricket Board scrapped the top A-category central contracts for the first time in 21 years. Azam and Rizwan were demoted to B-category contracts, along with key players including Salman Agha, Fakhar Zaman, Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Returnees and key players

The squad welcomes back fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza, and opener Fakhar Zaman, who missed the recent ODI series against West Indies due to injury.

Pakistan, who won the Twenty20 series against the West Indies in the US, arrive in the UAE following a heavy defeat in the third ODI against the Caribbean team in Trinidad, where they were bowled out for 92 chasing 294, handing the hosts a historic 2-1 series win — their first bilateral ODI triumph over Pakistan since 1991. Jayden Seales starred with six wickets, while Shai Hope struck an unbeaten 120.

Pakistan will have practice games at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and training sessions at ICC Academy.

Pakistan squad (T20):

Salman Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim.

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A.K.S. SatishSports Editor

From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.